Photographer Johan Berglund

In retrospect, the remarkable ascendency of Château Pontet-Canet could have been written by Dionysis himself, a rebirth rarely witnessed within an appellation inextricably linked to the unalterable classification system of 1855 which corralled estates into rank and file.

This photographic depiction of Château Pontet-Canet, taken over two years, captures the heart and soul of this historic estate. The lens captures the effort that is spent creating something as simple and mundane-looking as a bottle of wine. Its simple appearance is deceptive, belying the complexity within – complexity that can only be achieved with such effort.

These images take us through the changing seasons, the interplay between the elements and vine, the bond between vine and man, the intricate, ancient, timeless process of turning grapes into wine. These images get under the skin of a working Bordeaux château, in many ways, presenting a more realistic picture of a vineyard on a daily basis, when no two days are the same. And just like a great wine, these images are for you to interpret. What you see in them might not be necessarily the same as another. So just like a great wine, pause and examine these images at leisure and without haste, because the more you look, the more you will find.

-Neal Martin of The Wine Advocate

From my very first visit, back in 2006, when Bordeaux was a whole new world to me, Château Pontet-Canet became a place that I held close to my heart. There is an atmosphere of tranquility and harmony that is contagious; a place where everybody knows their role as part of a team that will transform the fruit of a growing season into wine.And nothing is ever rushed. People smile. They are harmonious.

It is as if the horses’ steady trot between rows of vine set the pace for everyone else: meticulous, steady and focused, without interference or interruption from the outside world.

I was struck by the mantra that at Pontet-Canet, banal as it seems, they were able to do what they wanted. It remains a family-owned property, moreover a château inhabited by the Tesserons. It is a home: an increasingly rare entity amongst the Grand Cru Classé of Bordeaux. And that was important to me. I felt that the moment for such a project was now. I could see the quality rising and perhaps even that nod of erfection from Robert Parker on the horizon. And so I wanted to document that journey. That moment in time. To let future generations be able to look back and see what life was like when Pontet-Canet made that leap of faith forward.

Both Alfred Tesseron and Jean-Michel Comme gave me free access into their lives. They always seemed so grounded and focused – echoing the way that I approach my own work. So I felt at home from the first day and I was surprised how easily the images came over the two years of 2009 and 2010. Even with such short hindsight, those both seem epochal years for the estate and I thank the people of Pontet-Canet for letting me capture and document this small but important chapter of history.

Whenever I roamed the estate I was never greeted by anything but friendliness and complete acceptance. It is this attitude of harmony and purpose which spreads through the ranks that made this book possible.